


Beast

by Shinocchi



Category: DRAMAtical Murder (Visual Novel), DRAMAtical Murder - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Beastman, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Claiming Bites, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2017-11-19
Packaged: 2019-02-04 08:15:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12766827
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinocchi/pseuds/Shinocchi
Summary: The forest is out of bounds -- that's what they were told, for in the forest, there lives a ferocious beast who not only kidnaps humans, but kills them too.Seragaki Aoba trusts none of these hearsay; for all he knows, the perception of 'beast' takes the form of human's fears. And that is why, he decided the find the answer for himself, by venturing into this very forest -- in search of the very beast.[Beastman AU]





	Beast

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, this story is so... _so late_ ;;;; I intended to write this story for Mink's birthday but obligations got into the way so I thought perhaps it'd be appropriate to write it for Halloween too but once again, obligations were a great distraction so here I am, _finally_ done with this after being almost two months late ;;;
> 
> A very belated birthday and Halloween write for Mink! It's been a while since I wrote a bigger Mink/Aoba story and this has gotta be one of my favorites heh. I also thought that this universe serves as a potential extension to a bigger plot so intentionally, I've left behind some unanswered questions in the story that I'd like to continue in the future (perhaps bringing in other characters too hehe). 
> 
> As usual, thank you very much for reading and I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it /o/

It was a taboo; a word that’s off-limits, treated like a curse of its own.

Rumours emphasized that if one ever had the guts to come close to such taboo, they’d end up being a prey to these monsters. They’d be hunted, imprisoned, then being torn apart from head to toe, from skin to flesh and to the very last piece of their bones, leaving them in a scattered, unnaturally incomplete physical state alongside a horribly tampered soul.

It was said that the world was divided into two – the prey and the predator, the hunted and the hunter; the human and the beast. And as legend would warn, both worlds belonged to each of their own; no one should interfere with each other, for both the worlds were a complete contrast, and connection would only bring upon nothing but catastrophes to the living.

Yet, across time, the boundaries between humans and beasts – the restrictions that were not meant to be crossed – were shattered by the intelligence. They yearned to seek for the truth, for answers behind the differences between the submissive and the dominant. They longed to seek for peace, for equality, and for a world where fear and fury no longer existed.

Tamer beasts were adopted as house pets for the rich. They were treasured and pampered by their owners and were taken good care of as they long as they cooperated devotedly to their responsibilities until the end of their owner’s life.

Wild beasts were labelled as treacherous, urging a line to be drawn in between them and humans in an attempt to ensure of each other’s safety. They were kept off limits from each other, never acknowledged and disregarded of their existences.

It was a world where the fittest survived and the weaker ones were banished of their existences. But, everything was nothing but mere pretty words. Pets were maltreated where darkness lived, wild beasts were accused of every other attack that left traces of violence. It was not before long that the government, alongside the supporting organizations, found themselves attempting to calm humans down in their own way on a recurrent basis, regardless if it’s one of antagonistic or courteous.

The world wasn’t a safe place to live in and there was nothing humans could’ve done to restore peace. Eventually, it was the rise of a multi-million corporation, Toue Corporation, that had lowered the red flag off the public’s qualms. Vowing to research and cultivate ways that would give humans power, Toue, the leader of the project, promised strength equal to those of the beasts, and ultimately, to achieve peace.

And while ideas progressed, wild beasts were placed on top of the wanted list. Not because they were suspected as being murderers – but because they were needed as part of the experimental projects.

And just so they could become sacrifices for humans’ own egotistical peace of mind.

 

***

 

“Okay, enough.”

Seragaki Aoba slumped his backpack on the mountain path, wiping sweat off his forehead as he caught his breath. The route he’d been taking for the past few hours was one of mawkish yellow, almost browning, with vivid green on either side. It didn’t seem like a path that many had used and Aoba could understand exactly why that was so.

The land he was standing on now was what many villagers would mark as a red-flag district. Not only that loud howls can be heard when midnight arrived, dried blood could also be spotted on random stones along the path, alongside hints of claw marks on tree barks. Seeing them alone was enough to petrify the soul out of a living person. It’s definitely not helping when the village situated just at the foot of the mountain had been reporting the missing of several people, the number of it only grew larger across time. At this point, it had somehow become a convinced truth that every tragedy was the work of a wild beast living right in this forest where Aoba was standing.

Yet, there were no evidences that could convince Aoba for what was represented as the truth, and Aoba figured that perhaps assuming an answer would serve as a better consolation for the villagers rather than having to stay in the dark.

“Okay, I’ll need to find a place to stay. If not, I’d have to sleep on a tree or something… Haha, as if I’d really find such a place, though…”

He looked around. The forest was creepily quiet now; there’s no signs of movement around him, and it’s literally impossible for him to find a decent roof to stay under in such an isolated place.

“This calls for surviving skills, I guess?”

For some reason, Aoba was never terrified at the idea of having to stay out in the cold, let alone having to survive in a place as deserted and as dangerous as this one. He was here with a purpose after all, and it was too unlike him to be going home empty-handed.

He rummaged around his bag, taking out a few boxes of matches as well as a blade before he slung the backpack over his shoulder, sighing as he started walking again.

At the very least, he’d need to find a place that’s not as wet as where he was stepping on earlier. Maybe he could find a spot under a tree, around the corner, where he could be well hidden, just in case any wild beast happened to pass by.

Or should he let the beast know that he’s here instead? He was here for him anyway. It’d make things faster than having to search around mindlessly like he’d done for the past hours.

“As if he’d sit and listen to me before he tears me apart,” he chuckled bitterly.

He’s used to being told that he’s insane when he expressed his intention to talk with a wild beast. But many years of researches had told him more than the hearsays many deemed to be the truth. If he had to trust someone, he’d rather trust his own instincts.

Still, it’d be a huge lie if he was to say that he’s not wary at how these beasts would really turn out to be at the end of the day.

Wild beasts were said to look like humans, the only distinctive difference between them would be their beast features, mostly the ears and the tail. They would tend to portray beast traits like sniffing and licking but apart from that, they could also talk and walk and basically think in ways like a human could.

Aoba found a drier place to settle down after walking a few routes down the mountain paths. Spreading a matted cloth under the tree, he sat on it, drowning water down his throat as he looked around. There were still no sounds, as if the forest was dead. The sun had now set, darkness engrossed his surroundings as insects of nightfall performed their orchestra.

It was only his first day in this place; he’d really need to get used to this if he wanted to stay alive until he finally found the beast. With that thought in mind, Aoba crossed his arms, leaned against the tree trunk, and closed his eyes.

 

***

 

He woke up to the sound of scuffling leaves, the pungent stench of dirt alongside the waves of heat enveloping him to the point of suffocating. He was sweating from head to toe as he speedily stood, hand reaching intuitively to the shotgun in his bag. Without a second thought, he drew the gun out and raised it in front of his eyes. Through vague sceneries, he could make out shadows flickering in and out of his vision, disappearing then appearing again, as if they were chasing after each other. He shook his head, blinked a few times, hoping to gain a clearer, more distinct vision when one of the shadows sprung itself towards him, completely catching him off guard.

He staggered, stepping aside just in time to avoid the attack. Raising his gun again, he aimed, wanting to find the shadow but to no avail.

What was that just now? A beast? Wild animal? As far as he could tell, it was no tame beast and it was driving his heart mad.

He swallowed down his throat, sweat trickling down the side of his cheek as he kept his attention alert on his surroundings.

The forest had fallen back to its initial peace, as if whatever that had happened just now were simply his illusions. It was the balmy ache on his arm that was telling him that this was not a dream. He remembered the breath of the beast when it threw itself on him; hot and bothered. The cut on his arm burned with pain, blood oozing from the new wound, creating a small pool of red on the dry ground. He was certain that that _thing_ – whatever it was – was something that was very much _alive_ and he was even grateful that he hadn’t been devoured from the moment he met it.

Still vigilant, he squinted, attempting to find any sign of life in the midst of shady mist.

It didn’t seem like anything was around; did the beast escape? Was it just passing by?

Heaving a hefty sigh, Aoba lowered his gun, thumb chafing against his temple when he heard movements by his side again, immediately having him to raise his gun.

But he was too late this time; the beast had jumped on top of him, pushing him to lay flat on the ground. His claws ploughed into Aoba’s shoulders, the grip strong and aggressive. Aoba was certain that he’d broken a bone; his right arm was completely useless now, his gun shunted into a distance when he tried to defend himself. With his left arm remained as his sole support, he pushed against the beast’s face, feeling drool sopping onto his face, disgusting him, and feeling his heart at the brink of exploding upon catching sight of sharp fangs exposed right in front of his face.

There’s no way he could be of any match to a beast like this. He’d known about the wild beasts lurking in the forest but he’d never thought that they’d act so hostile at first contact. It’s as if they knew nothing of benevolence, and nothing of compassion.

He lifted a smirk at the beast’s direction, a small one on the corners of his lips.

The fangs were horrid and sharp, menacing enough to tear his flesh apart. He knew that if he was to lose strength on his left hand now, the beast would definitely take its chance to eat him up.

His head throbbed; he wondered if he’d hit it hard on the ground earlier to the extent of feeling as if he’s going to pass out anytime soon.

It wasn’t something he could help. With one last look into the golden eyes of the beast, he closed his eyes, the last of his energy leaving him as he felt the weight on his body becoming heavier.

The howls of wolf were the last he heard in his ears before he lost his consciousness.

 

***

 

His entire body hurt. He can’t move an inch, even when he opened his eyes, all that he could see was black until a couple of seconds later that he found himself staring at a ceiling. His surrounding was dimmed but he could catch sight of faint lighting that appeared to be a lamp hanging from the ceiling, in the corner of the room.

He tried to move again but it was no use. As a final resort, he tried opening his mouth, but no sound came out of it.

Was he alive? Did he somehow… manage to escape from that beast? He tried to remember everything that he could; the last image he remembered seeing was the beast bearing its fangs at him, and the last thing he remembered hearing was the sound of howling – that’s it.

He couldn’t remember what happened after that, nor was he in any position to remember. He passed out after the impact, and now, he was… apparently lying in a hut, as if he was brought here by someone…

…or something?

Did someone save him then? Looking around, he wasn’t able to see any sign of living in this space. And, when he could finally bring himself to move just a tad, he raised his hand, just to realize that his body was swathed in thick heavy bandages.

His wounds must be severe. The pain was numb, as if his nerves were so disparagingly damaged they refused to respond to him anymore. His vision was still blurry, and he was still unable to speak a word. At the very least, he was able to bring himself into a sitting position, despite having to make a huge effort out of it. And finally, being able to take a good look at the place he’s in now.

He was sitting on a bed. The hut was a simple-looking one, no rooms, just a kitchen in one corner, and a living room beside where he was sitting. One glance was more than enough for him to make out everything that was in the hut. And, as suspected, no one was in the hut now; he was left completely alone, breathing in the musky air of dirt and smelling an elusive scent of cooking food coming from the kitchen.

He thought he should probe further. But the moment when he tried to bring himself off the bed, he heard crackling sounds from the door, causing his heart to skip a beat.

It could probably be the owner of this place, possibly even the person whom had saved him but he couldn’t quite tell if he was about to meet a human or a beast. He quaffed down his throat, eyes fixed piercingly on the door as it swung open, revealing a tall, big-sized man.

The man had long, wavy hair, his physique sturdy and huge. He was carrying what seemed to be a freight of dried branches when he walked into the room and, the moment he met eyes with Aoba, all his motions stopped. His golden pair of eyes bored right into Aoba’s own similar-coloured ones. He was staring at Aoba as if he was scanning him from the inside out.

For a lengthy moment, they merely glowered at each other, the air rigid, the surrounding muted. Then, the man started moving again, much to Aoba’s terror, and he immediately found chills traveling down his spine when the man moved into where light reflected on him.

A pair of ears could be seen poking out from the top of his head. A big, furry, tail swayed into view as he came close to where Aoba was sitting. The ears, as furry as his tail, twitched ever so slightly when they met eyes again, while his tail swung left and right, and ultimately stopped with a soft flap on the floor.

“You’re awake.”

His voice was gravelly, almost threatening, and it did nothing but terrifying Aoba even more when his face came close to his own, accompanied by a flickering touch sweeping past his cheekbones when the man’s miniature yet sharp claws scratched pass his skin. The slight pain had Aoba hitching a breath.

The beast’s nails left a light trace on Aoba’s face, the aftershock of the physical contact also left behind a ticklish sensation that had goose bumps forming all over Aoba’s body. He wasn’t sure how to feel now – sure, he’d met the beast he was searching for, but at the same time, after having experience that petrifying near-death experience, he couldn’t tell if it was a good idea to be staying around the beast for any longer now.

“D-Did you…” He tried to speak, but his words came out in a scatter. His throat hurt awfully, causing him to cough without being able to finish his question.

The beast toddled out of his view upon seeing that, then coming back with a glass of water. He clasped gently on Aoba’s hand, lifting it up, and pressed the glass into his palm before guiding it towards Aoba’s lips.

“Drink,” was all he said.

Aoba did as he was told. He took big mouthfuls of water down his throat, desperately trying to damp his dry passage. Yet, he couldn’t help but had his eyes locked on the beast, as if afraid that he’d attack him out of nowhere.

“That was dangerous,” the beast said when Aoba was done with his water. “You almost got yourself killed.”

 _So he saved me, huh?_ Aoba thought to himself.

“Are you…” he tried asking, but the beast was quick to interrupt his words.

“Leave once you’re fine enough to walk. You shouldn’t be coming here in the first place.”

He had heaps of questions to ask him – who is he, what is he doing here, what happened to the other beast? But the only question that had fallen off his lips when he found his voice again was—

“What’s your name?”

The beast, who had then walked away, froze in his tracks. Without looking back, he muttered,

“Mink.”

Aoba watched as Mink moved away, walking out of the hut, and leaving Aoba all by himself again.

Everything he said was true; this wasn’t a safe place for him to stay for long, and he did have the intention to leave as soon as he could.

But that was his intention before he met Mink. Now, things were different. He wanted to stay here, and there’s no reason for him to leave without achieving his mission for why he’s here in the first place, especially not when he’d caught hold of the trump card.

 

***

 

He woke up to the pleasant smell of food, of boiling soup and a sharp pain in his ribs. He clicked his tongue before he pressed a palm against his waist, finding the source of pain. It wasn’t a horrendous wound, but enough to stagger his movements. It he was to go out at this state, he was sure that he wouldn't be as lucky as the last time if he was to meet a beast again.

Trying to ignore the pain, Aoba lifted himself up as warily as he could, holding onto the flimsy bedside table – the only thing he could reach – then attempted to stand. He was almost standing on his own feet when he saw a big shadow from the corner of his eyes, immediately having him to raise his head up, his eyes meeting the same golden gaze from before.

“You’re not in any condition to move yet.”

Everything was, unfortunately, not a dream.

“I’m… yeah,” he said in response, completely out of words.

The beast, however, said nothing. Merely giving him a fleeting stare, he turned his back towards him, as if prepared to return to the kitchen.

“W-Wait, I—“ Aoba’s primitive response was sparked upon seeing him leaving. He had loads of questions to ask him, and it’s a chance now that they’re still in diplomatic talking term. Who knows what will happen later? Aoba couldn't tell if he would be devoured or beaten to death if the beast happened to change his mind; he would never know if the beast would act as tame as how he was carrying himself now.

In a hysterical attempt, he wobbled towards the beast, catching hold of his big fluffy tail, immediately having the beast to stumble in his steps and jumping out of the way.

Aoba _swore_ he heard a faint growl before he fell to the floor.

“I’m sorry…” he struggled, trying to support himself up again. “I need to… talk to you.”

The sensation of soft fur remained on his palm as he got into a sitting position, back leaning against the bedside table. It was unlike anything that he’d touched before. And truth be told, it surprised him knowing how soft a beast’s body part could feel like.

“You can do that after you feel better,” the beast said, eyes not meeting Aoba’s.

“Mink… was it?” Aoba started. “Can we really talk when I get better?”

“Yeah,” Mink, the beast, said. “I need to ask you something as well.”

Then, before Aoba could make sense of what he was suggesting, Mink had hoisted Aoba up with a hand, bringing him to the bed, a hint strong enough to tell Aoba that he wanted him to stay put.

“Don’t worry. Before I get my answers, I won’t harm you.”

“So you would after you get what you want from me?” Aoba reiterated.

Mink remained silent, definitely not a response Aoba was hoping for.

And without being able to pester him further, Mink left, leaving Aoba feeling as confused as ever.

 

Unsure of what else he could do, Aoba remained lying on his bed, trying to recall what had happened to him since he got into the forest yesterday. He was certain that he’d gotten himself shielded in safe shades but as he would’ve expected, the beasts were in a territory far capricious than he could ever anticipate. The assault came in a gale and all that Aoba could piece up from his shattered memories was the impact he felt when his back hit the floor and the pain that had swelled on his shoulders upon having hands pressing on them. He couldn't remember how he’d gotten the wounds on his ribs, nor did he remember meeting Mink.

His conscious must have shattered when he received a second impact on his head.

He shook his head. There’s no use dwelling on this further. He met a beast, was hurt, and the penalties that had fallen upon him now was that he’s in a _beast_ ’s house, whom had possibly saved his life.

Mink walked towards him when he was about to attempt a stretch. His nose scrunched at the smell of food, looking around just to see Mink putting a bowl of what seemed to be soup and a plate of dried vegetables on the bedside table.

“Vegetables…” he muttered under his breath.

“You don’t eat vegetables?”

“It’s not that,” Aoba panicked, realizing that he must have spoken his thoughts out loud. “I’m just… surprised, I guess.”

“That a beast like me eats vegetables?”

Mink spelled his contemplations as how he’d considered it; there’s nothing else he could deny about that.

“It’s fine,” Mink continues, sounding as if he wasn’t bothered by what Aoba thought at the slightest.

“I don’t mean to judge you or anything, don’t get me wrong,” Aoba rashly said. “It’s just that… there’s a lot of things that I have yet to know about you, or more like, your kind, so I can’t help but have these predetermined considerations.”

“You don’t have to explain,” Mink said, tone unruffled and heavy, a contrast with Aoba. “This is not the first time we have to deal with assumptions like this. And that’s the reason why you’re here anyway, right?”

He found relief sipping into his veins. Mink seemed rational. If that’s the case, then perhaps he could really talk with him after all. Properly.

Everything had been bizarre to him up to this point. He’d never once imagined himself to be able to find shelter in this very forest, let alone sitting on the dining table, having a meal with a beast, even more so the very one he was searching for. He thought it’d take him a few weeks, or even years to finally find him. He wouldn’t be surprised if he was to return empty-handed either. Those sayings about the beasts were all myths, after all; no one could tell if they really existed in this very forest. But now that he was literally facing the beast – Mink – he started to wonder if there’s a need to reset every word he’d heard from the villagers so that he could have an unbiased pair of eyes to see and critic things for himself now.

“Is it enough?”

Mink broke the silence in the room when he was struggling to push the warm soup down his throat with the help of his battered, only-usable hand. His right hand still felt numb from the wounds, something he was quick to realize when he tried moving it again earlier. Without answering Mink’s question, he stood from the chair, hauled his feet towards Mink, who was sitting on the couch, smoking. Mink looked up at him when he came to stand by his side, a face of indifferent, as if he was expecting him.

“You’re a stubborn one,” was all he said before he stood up himself, supported Aoba in one arm, and having Aoba to hitch a breath at the strident pain piercing him on the right arm upon receiving physical contact.

Then, before he knew it, he was sitting on the dining table again, the air wedged in silence, his remonstration long gone.

“I-I’m fine,” Aoba forced ones out of his mouth.

“You’re here for something, aren’t you?”

Mink was quick to dive right into the center of the topic. Well, it’s not like it mattered to Aoba anyway; it’s fine, he could then waste no time.

“Indeed, I am,” Aoba admitted. “I want to know more about you.”

“ That's very straightforward of you.” He swore he saw the corners of Mink’s lips curve ever so slightly. “Representing?”

“What?”

“Who told you to come here? Are you from the government? Or are you simply a curious soul who couldn’t care less about his own life?

“I’m neither, thank you very much,” Aoba said with a thin frown in between his eyebrows. “I’ll admit that I’m curious – everyone’s curious – but I’m not here to hunt you down or let you kill me, or anything like that, if you’re wondering.”

“Is that so?”

 _It’s normal_ , Aoba thought. As a being who’d been discriminated and feared for the whole of their life, it’s totally normal for Mink to be suspecting him. It’s not like he couldn’t understand himself, either. He couldn’t believe tell where he’d acquired all the guts for his rash decisions that had led him to where he was now.

“I’m just… curious.”

“Of? A beast?”

“Yeah,” he lingered, scrutinizing Mink as the other went back to finishing up the remaining of the food he’d left on the table. “A beast.”

“You’re not the only person who’d told me these exact words,” Mink said, eyes not looking at Aoba. “Everyone wants to know about us; every human, at the very least.”

“I mean no harm,” Aoba was quick to defend himself. He knew too well of the intentions of those people Mink was implying. “I don’t belong to any associations, and like I said, I’m only here because I want to search for the answers for myself.”

“And you must have a reason to that,” Mink hindered, now raising his eyes a tad, meeting gaze with Aoba’s light-brown orbs. “A reason so strong you’re willing to risk your life just to meet a being none knows anything of.”

Mink wasn’t wrong. It’s common-sense; there’s no way a sane person would take such extent to meet a being that was nothing but threatening, or so they were told. Aoba had his reasons, indeed. But something in him told him that even if he was to tell Mink, Mink might not even trust him anyway.

“So?” Mink pressed.

“I’m…” Aoba faltered. “I want to find a cure. For you.”

Mink lifted his eyebrows. With his eyes fixed shrilly on Aoba, none of them said anything. Aoba lowered his head, pretending to be drinking his soup, despite knowing that Mink was possibly scanning him from the inside out through his gaze alone.

“Cure?” Mink repeated.

“…Something that can… return you to normal. But I can’t do that without knowing anything about you and that’s why… I’m here.”

“Normal,” Mink mouthed, connoting the word vigilantly, as if letting it sink into his head. “You think that beasts aren’t normal?”

Aoba raised his head in a rush. His heart pranced a beat; he’d just realized how offensive his words might have sounded to Mink.

“No, no! I don’t mean it that way, I mean… well, how you define normal and how we do might different, none of us are wrong in that sense. For us, being humans are natural. But for you, maybe… we are the weird ones instead. I don’t mean to sound offensive, I’m just… argh, how should I put this…”

“That’s how it is,” Mink nodded. Aoba was even surprised that Mink hadn’t snapped on him.

“Okay, let me rephrase that then. I want to clean your names, just so you could be seen as normal, even by the humans.”

“You think that’s what we would want?” Mink’s words were viscous, with a hint of threat incrusted in between. “We have been living in the wild since we came to make sense of things, of who we are. We’ve been harmed by humans, who think of us as nothing but threats. Why would you think we’d want to be like you?”

Mink had a valid point; it’s something that had never crossed Aoba’s mind. He was running out of debating points.

This negotiation was a flop.

But, not yet. He’s not giving up yet.

“At the very least, can you let me know more about you? Even if you don’t intend to change who you are, I still want to believe that it’s possible for humans and beasts to live in peace with each other. And even if others would never believe it to be possible, I want to… be able to confirm it for myself.”

“They’re not wrong,” Mink brushed. “We _are_ dangerous. We’re _beasts_ , we have instincts that we couldn’t control at times, and I believe you’d experienced _that_ first-hand in the forest yesterday night. When we lose control of ourselves, we won’t be able to tell apart beasts nor humans. Everything will appear like food to us. Even so, do you still wish to stay?”

He’s not chasing him out; that’s a good start.

“Yes, I do,” Aoba said, firmed. “I don’t want to give up without trying. Even if I might be wrong, then I wish you could prove me wrong.”

Mink sighed cripplingly. He stood up, taking the plates into his hands while Aoba followed suit, just to be held off by Mink’s gravelly voice.

“You think you’d be capable to do anything at all with that wounded body? Stay put, recover, then we’ll talk.”

With his back turned towards Aoba, Mink strolled towards the sink, leaving Aoba to stare at his tail, bushy and swaying in light motions, before he moved his attention to the beast’s ears.

“You’re… a wolf, right?” Aoba asked a spontaneous question.

Mink nodded, without saying anything. The tip of his tail continued grazing against the floor, in motions that’s almost calculated.

“Do beasts have categories? Like, if you’re a wolf, would there be bears too? Or lions? Tigers?”

“Wolf is the most common in our species,” Mink replied, busying himself with the dishes at the same time. “The others are smaller ones, the ones you would’ve already knows – dogs, cats.”

“Oh, right.” The ones that were treated as slaves and convenience by the rich.

“I told you,” Mink continued, laying the clean dishes by a side and reaching out to the top of the cabinet for a cloth. “We are beasts. We have instincts we can’t control, and these instincts are not limited to our bigger-sized beasts. They affect the smaller ones too.”

“When you said ‘instincts’, do you mean something like going berserk? Attacking people all of a sudden? And… you wouldn’t remember what you did after that?”

It’s like the time when he was attacked in the forest.

Say… what was that thing that had attacked him anyway? He was certain that it was another beast. But, where was it now?

“…Something like that,” Mink said after a pause. Then, he turned around, coming to face Aoba. “We’re dangerous. It’s understandable why humans want nothing to do with us.”

Chills ran down his spine upon hearing Mink’s words. He wasn’t sure if he should tell Mink about what humans _really_ wanted to do with them. By how Mink spoke about it, it seemed like they weren’t aware of the devastating conspiracy that was to fall upon them soon either.

“But… if there’s a way to control it…” he said, organizing his thoughts.

“There’s no way to it,” Mink was quick to persist. “Instincts are what make us who we are. We’re _animals_. If you're still thinking about making us normal, that would mean eliminating us for who we are.”

There’s really no way to this. He couldn’t change who they are, but there’s no way he’d allow the authority to do whatever they wanted with them too.

It’s immoral and wrong in all sorts of manner.

“We don’t have to kill who you are to make you normal,” he explained. “Perhaps all we need is mutual understanding, something like a common ground that both parties could agree upon.”

“You’re being naïve,” Mink interrupted. He walked towards Aoba, coming close to him then sniffed on his neck, sending goosebumps all over Aoba’s body. “You know nothing about instincts. And you know nothing about how much I want to tear you apart just by having you here.”

He couldn’t tell if Mink was being serious or if he was just trying to intimidate him but when he caught sight of his fangs, baring themselves near the skin on his neck, his breath was trapped in his chest.

“When you’re done, leave. I’d prefer it to be soon. If not,” Mink dwelt, pulling himself away from Aoba, his eyes emotionless, his expression blank as he towered over him. “I wouldn’t know what I’d do to you.”

Before Aoba could say anything, he seized a bag from one corner of his hut, leaving through the front door and leaving Aoba to stare perplexedly at his disappearing back, still too stunned to comprehend what had just happened.

 

***

 

Mink only returned when night fell. While waiting, Aoba had taken the initiative to look around the place, finding nothing unusual, almost too ordinary. Without his ears and his tail, Mink looked perfectly like the most normal person around. The fact that his physical features would often give him his definitions before he could say anything for himself was something Aoba found hard to accept.

That’s why Aoba was here – to change things.

And that’s why, when Mink was about to leave the house the next day, in the afternoon, Aoba hurried to catch up with him, just to have Mink staring disconcertedly at him.

“What? I’m coming with you,” Aoba retorted with a thin frown. He was totally expecting Mink to brush him off and he’d end up struggling to chase after him anyway. But Mink merely shrugged before he closed the door behind them.

“Follow closely then. It’s easy to get lost in the forest.”

That was… surprising. With every passing moment he was to spend with Mink, he’d come to realize how his perception towards the beast changed with every shared interaction; everything that he once used to know about a beast strayed him from his early thought, having the beast to prove him wrong like how he wanted him to.

The forest was no less daunting than the first time he set foot into it. While he tried as hard as he could to keep Mink’s back within eyesight, he also heightened his hearing, alertness raised as he kept his attention focused for any possible assaults.

It’s highly unlikely, though. The sun was still high. Even if someone – or something – was to attack him all of a sudden, he’d be able to see it unlike the last time when he was being attacked in the dark.

“What do you usually do here?” he asked, trying to break the tongue-tied silence between them. He wasn’t sure if questions were allowed but there’s no point for him to follow Mink if he didn’t attempt to at least find out more things about the humdrum living of a beast.

“Hunt,” Mink said pithily. It made Aoba feel imprudent all of a sudden. Of course, he’s a beast, what else would he do? But then again, he can’t blame himself. He couldn’t feel anything of a beast from Mink after all. Perhaps that’s also why he had his defense down with Mink, totally forgetting about the fact that he was one that could potentially attack him too.

“For other animals?” he hounded. Mink’s tail swayed left and right in languid motion, his ears high and Aoba was sure that his eyes were sharp as he looked around, even though he couldn’t see them from where he was.

“Yeah.” Another one-word answer. If that’s so, then Aoba had another question.

“But you never eat meat,” he uttered. At least not during the less-than-one-day time he’d spent with Mink.

Mink didn’t answer this time. As if he hadn’t heard Aoba, he hastened his pace, sprinting deeper into the forest.

“Hey!” Shrieking, Aoba raced after him. His bandaged hand was giving him inconvenience way wearisome than he’d anticipated it to be and it took two times more effort for him to move through the trees. After having to brush through branches, he made it. Panting profoundly as he came to stand by Mink’s side, he was about to say something when Mink pressed a finger against his lips.

“Shh.”

Noting the pressure, Aoba shifted his gaze towards where Mink was staring, finding himself looking at two deers, foraging against grass, having totally no clue of danger being near.

“No…” Aoba mumbled under his breath. He was aware of what Mink was about to do. Mink didn’t bring along a weapon with him either, and Aoba could only imagine how he would charge himself towards the animals, slaughter them, then shred them apart. It shouldn’t be anything unusual; it was just a common routine of a beast, an action that’s expected for them, and Mink, being a beast, was no exception to that behavior.

Yet…

He wasn’t sure if he wanted to see Mink’s true nature now that he’d been almost convinced that Mink wasn’t as malicious as everyone seemed to think.

“Stop,” he breathed, but Mink’s growl had started to echo in his ears, at the same time when he spoke, completely overpowering his words.

“Stop,” he tried again, this time, with a shriller voice but he was two seconds too late to pull Mink back when Mink lurched out of the bushes and charged towards the deers.

“Stop!!” Aoba screamed. There’s no way he could match Mink in terms of speed, but he could at least try to alert the deers. With that thought, he picked the nearest stone he could find and chuck it towards the deers’ direction.

It worked. The deers stopped eating and looked up, just in time when Mink was about to grasp onto one of their necks. Moving in lightning speed, they dodged every one of Mink’s attacks and galloped out of sight, the sounds of trundling bushes clear in the midst of dead silence.

He could still hear the loud pounding of his heartbeats in his ears as Aoba breathed cripplingly, watched as Mink turn around to look at him. Chills ran down his spine the moment he caught sight of Mink’s expression, one that was menacing, his glare sharp and hostile. Any moment now, Mink might just run towards him instead, taking him as his lost meal, and it’d be too late for Aoba to regret everything.

He should run; that was his first intuitive thought. Yet, he stood rooted on the spot, merely ogling as Mink pulled their distance close, then coming to stand right in front of Aoba. Aoba could see his own reflection in the flickering orbs of gold in Mink’s eyes. He could see more than just the dismissive Mink he had now come to get used to, sensing just a hint of emotion, of vehemence, of antagonism, and of _bestiality_ that was nothing a normal human being could’ve ever show. He swallowed down his throat, waiting; waiting for the moment when Mink would seize his neck, crush his windpipe like it’s the most natural thing to do, and waiting for the moment when witnessing a beast in action would become the final thing he’d see before he lost his life.

But, soon, the light in Mink’s eyes faded gradually, his breathing became frothier, and his expression relaxed. While Aoba could still feel sprightly quavers all over his body, Mink had looked away, over his shoulder, at the direction where the deers had escaped.

“Now what’s for dinner?” Aoba heard him grunting under his breath, as if he was speaking to himself.

“M-Mink?” he tried calling out. Mink did not respond. Still had his back facing Aoba, he took a few steps away, acting as if Aoba wasn’t present, until when Aoba scurried towards him and grasped him on the arm that his motion staggered.

“Are you okay?” Aoba asked. He didn’t know why he asked either. Mink didn’t look unwell at all. If ever, he should be more concerned with _himself_.

Mink filched a sideway glimpse at him then. Emitting a heavy sigh, he turned around, finally coming to face Aoba.

“I could’ve harmed you,” he said in a tongue-tied breath.

“But you didn’t,” Aoba countered.

“You got lucky,” Mink was quick to press. “Don’t do that again.”

“Do what?”

“…Interrupting me when I’m hunting,” Mink said.

“You don’t eat them, do you?” Aoba asked, the question from before still fretting him. “I don’t see any trace of meat in your house. Do you…”

He let his question linger, vigilantly observing Mink’s reaction in the meantime, while Mink looked away, obviating eye contact.

“…Do you… I mean, were you… hunting for me…?” Aoba probed, finally slopping the words out of his mouth.

Mink closed his eyes. His ears, which had now dropped, twitched a tad at the question, his tail started swinging left and right, as if they were telling Aoba answers Mink couldn't bring himself to spell them out loud. Aoba wasn’t an expert in animal’s body language but he could tell this much that Mink was contemplating his question and it made him wonder if the question was too complicated for him to answer after all.

“If you don’t intend to eat me, then… those people who were kidnapped…”

“I didn’t do it,” Mink snapped. “It’s something else. But you shouldn’t be meddling with our business. It’s dangerous.”

“Everyone in the village thinks it’s you,” Aoba opposed. “All the imageries, all that they’ve explicated, everything is aimed at you. If you aren’t the one who’d done it, are you really okay with being accused just like that? Are you fine with having your name dappled in the dark when the real culprit is out there, running around freely with no boundaries whatsoever?”

“They don’t think it’s me who’d done it,” Mink said. “It’s a generalization of how they think a beast would be and I just happen to fit into such generalization.”

Mink wasn’t wrong, but whatever he said drew an uncomfortable tang from Aoba’s chest. Perhaps Mink was right after all. This wasn’t a territory he should be ramming his head in. Perhaps there’s more nasty things in this forest, something that existed between the beasts and meddling with them would be the last thing Aoba wanted to do. And perhaps, something else was hunting for him, for humans, waiting to do horrible things to them.

He probably wouldn't feel as edgy as he did now if he hadn’t already been taking a liking towards Mink.

“Just like humans, I believe there are good and bad beasts too,” he said in a lower tone. “And I want to believe you to be the latter.”

“You’re too easy to believe in people,” Mink reprimanded. “You need to leave soon.”

“Whatever that had kidnapped and ate those people, it tried to do the same to me too yesterday, didn’t it?” Aoba interrupted.

“And you saved me, just like you attempted to with the others, didn’t you?”

He wasn't expecting any answer. Regardless of what Mink would say, he’d rather trust his own hunch and his own pair of eyes. He’d rather believe that this very beast standing right in front of him was more than just a lump of unreasonable, primitive living flesh.

“Let’s go,” Mink hurried without giving an answer, like what Aoba had expected. With a trifling smile pulled on the corners of his lips, Aoba rushed towards Mink as they started to make their way back to where they came from.

It’s fine if he didn’t get to eat any meat today; for all he knew, he’d finish whatever Mink was to make tonight anyway, even when vegetables would be all he’d be getting for dinner.

 

***

 

He was well aware of how impossible it could be to tame a beast that went out of control. Even when he’d recovered from his injuries, and even when Mink had begrudgingly told him to leave, he chose to stay in Mink’s hut.

He wasn't going to tell Mink that he’s here to warn him and his kind that they’re in the risk of being imprisoned and experimented on. All he wanted to do, conversely, was to stay by Mink’s side as long as Mink allowed him to just so he could learn more about what a beast really was. And, more importantly, to know more about who Mink was as a person, beast or not.

Mink’s lifestyle was nothing but ordinary. He seemed to be living regular life too, although it was pretty evident that he could react a tad slower in the morning, only getting himself together and then leaving the house when noon approached. Eventually, Aoba started suiting himself in the hut too, often busying himself in the kitchen, and sometimes going out into the woods for a quick stroll.

Contrary to the local’s creed, the forest was far peaceful than they thought it was. Aoba barely bumped into anything but friendly wild animals when he tackled his way into newer parts of the greens. He’d always make sure to return before night fell and Mink would do the same too. Sometimes they caught each other at the same time, and occasionally, Mink, to his utter astonishment, would return earlier than he would. Aoba never asked what Mink did when he was out. For all he knew, he’d come back with a bag of materials that looked like the most humdrum of things one can find in the forest. Sometimes, he’d catch sight of Mink staying up till late at night, his surrounding dimmed with a small light shining upon a small table as he focused on the matters in his hands. And yet, every time when he was to ask, Mink would immediately chase him away, as if he was stopping Aoba from finding out more about his goings-on.

It was a mystery Aoba had never resolved of him.

Perhaps Mink would tell him what he’s up to one day. He should take his own pace and just discover things when it’s time for him to. It took time for Mink to open up to him and it’s been a rewarding progress so far.

He really shouldn’t be rushing into things.

Yet, this time, he can’t help but notice how Mink had been coming back later than usual recently. Far, far later than he normally would. He’d often be back by evening but for the past two days, he only came back when the moon was already high in the sky, way past midnight, bringing back with him a strong scent of blood and soil.

During the first time he’d seen him in this state, Aoba had tried to ask – albeit cautiously – just to have that very intention towed off immediately when he found scratches on Mink’s arms. The hostile air in his eyes, alongside the antagonistic vibe he gave out when Aoba did as much as throwing one word out had told him enough that if he was to go near him at this moment he’d probably be torn into pieces before he could even breathe.

So, for the past two nights, he quaffed down his throat, only attempting to approach Mink during broad daylight, yet every time he was to bring up the matter, Mink would simply tell him off, having no intention whatsoever to talk about it.

“Don’t come near me at night,” was all Mink said to him, yet was all Aoba needed to hear to ratify his suspicions about how Mink was indeed… reacting differently than usual.

It wasn’t like he had absolutely no idea of what was happening, either. On the third day since the change happened, he ventured into the forest again, finding trails of blood along the route of the forest grounds, just what he needed to fulfill the reservations within him, before he left the words and returned to the village instead.

“It could be that.”

He found who he was looking for almost instantly. The village was once his home after all, for he had been staying here before he went into the forest. And the man whom he was talking with was none other but a researcher of the beast himself.

“You mean to say… it’s heat period now?”

“It’s about time too,” the man, who looked as if he was in his sixties, said, then looking up at the sky. “Full moon is soon.”

Aoba joined his gaze, but saw nothing but the sun. He gulped down his throat, before turning his gaze away. If what the man said was true, it only meant that he’d been baring himself in disastrous trouble for the past two days.

Everyone knew that a beast in heat was when they’d act in the rawest manner. Regardless if they were able to have their instincts under control during normal circumstances, they would never be able to do so when mother nature took over them. They would recognize no one, not even themselves. It would only be a suicidal attempt to go near one when they were in that state.

“ _Don’t come near me at night_ ,” he remembered Mink telling him.

What should he do now? Should he move out for a while for the sake of his own safety? But if Mink was in heat, it also meant that he would be bestowing his rawest self which, in other words, would also mean that this would be the best time for Aoba to study him – his truest self as a beast.

What should he do?

“I see you have found the beast,” the man spoke, blowing smoke out of the cigarette he’d been smoking on.

“I… do,” Aoba hesitated.

“Not sure why you aren’t turning him in but you being you, I’m sure you have your reasons.”

He’d never been so proud of his own socialization skill when he was still a resident in this village. It’d be trouble if someone reported him for having locating the very criminal the entire village was hunting out for.

“But Aoba, don’t think of going close to one when they’re in heat.” The man pulled his attention away. “A beast in heat is dangerous. I’m sure you know about this too.”

“How… dangerous could they possibly be?”

“Maybe you wouldn’t even have time to blink before your head says goodbye to your body.”

The mental image itself formed goosebumps all over his body. He should really avoid Mink to protect himself, like the man had advised. It’s not like Mink would stay like this forever anyway. Once he’d calmed, Aoba would return to him. But… wouldn’t that defeat the purpose then? This was the best chance for him to take the closest look at a beast’s nature, after all…

But… would it be worthy enough to trade the experience with his own life?

He shook his head. There’s no turning back now that he’d come this far. There’s undeniably something about Mink that he couldn't bring himself to explain properly. And he needed an answer to those qualms.

It’s only Mink. He’s a beast, sure. But he’s also _Mink_.

He really wanted to trust him.

He really did.

 

***

 

Later that night, Aoba remained awake, his heartbeats raucous in his ears as he kept his attention cagey. Shortly, as anticipated, he heard the door being lugged open aggressively, accompanied by the sound of heavy dragging footsteps, and finally, the sound of the door being slammed shut. He could feel the smothering air of the beast and the load of hefty breathing. The beast was coming closer and closer to him, warm air shrouded where his skin was exposed, but walked away soon after; as usual.

But, this time, before the beast could leave him alone, Aoba had leaped off the bed, searching in the dark and seizing onto the beast’s arm, pulling him back.

“Mink.”

This was obviously Mink – the same Mink he knew; his eyes when he crooked around to look at him were callous, but they still veiled the same tone of golden Aoba was familiar with. His face structure, his long wavy hair, as well as his sturdy body build. Everything belonged to Mink and only Mink.

“I know,” Aoba rashly said, before Mink could respond. “I know what’s happening to you.”

“If you do,” he was taken aback by the throatiness in Mink’s voice, one that he did not recognize and one that was graver, almost even menacing. “leave.”

“I won’t,” Aoba insisted. “I said to study you, and you had agreed upon it. It’s exactly times like this that I’ll continue staying by your side. I won't leave you just because you have to fight against yourself now.”

Mink seemed surprised, but that trivial change in his expression was soon wiped off his mien as he shook his head, then glared Aoba unswervingly into the eyes.

“I won’t leave,” Aoba stressed, without waiting for Mink to toss his words. “I’ll be here.”

He was almost stupefied by his own courage. He was dealing with a beast, but the fear from before was long gone before he knew it. Mink’s pair of ears stood, his tail swung in a way so feverish it was as if it was fighting against something that Aoba couldn’t see.

He could feel Mink’s breathing grew heavier with every passing moment; he could tell how he might be seeing his life flashing past his eyes any second now. But the next thing that had happened caught him completely off guard, causing him to lose his balance and fall backwards, back hitting the cold stone wall.

Mink’s lips were on his, his arms held onto Aoba’s elbows, preventing him from moving. He was trapping him in his own cage, devouring his mouth and submerging him in heat that was way too overwhelming for Aoba to make sense of. He couldn’t tell what was happening, nor why was this happening. All that he knew was that he couldn’t bring himself to run away from Mink; he couldn’t move an inch, and the only thing he could do now was to accept every ounce of fervor Mink was bucketing onto him, with no space to mutter a single no.

He was coddled in heat so strong it was suffocating him. Mink’s clutches were so sturdy he was almost breaking his bones. For a couple of times, he thought he was losing himself, his consciousness slowly but surely gliding off him, but he tried to keep himself awake, wanting to take in every moment of this, despite knowing that his body was exposed under severe danger.

When he could finally see Mink’s face, all that he could make out of was the same vivid pair of golden orbs, which were now much, much penetrating than he ever saw on Mink. His breathing was strenuous, much more than Aoba remembered of him, and he seemed to be struggling over something, something that Aoba couldn't tell.

“Mink…” he called through rasping voice.

A low-slung growl resounded by his ear, a sound that sounded very much like a beast’s, and then he felt wetness against his neck, just to realize that Mink had threw himself at him as he licked a trail along his naked skin.

The beast was yearning for something – the beast was craving for _him_.

Every one of Mink’s touch on his body was rough yet slow. Every howl Mink gave out was truncated yet restrained. He could see the way Mink’s ears jolted from just a meek reaction he’d drawn out of Aoba, as well as how his tail rocked from left to right whenever he elicited a bigger reaction out of his prey.

He wanted to touch those fluffy ears and tail; he wanted to feel two of the most inhuman features on Mink, just to convince himself that he’d succeeded in coming close to a beast. Yet, he couldn’t. None of his body belonged to him now and Mink’s desperate clasp on his flesh had suggested it to be even more so.

“I won’t leave,” Aoba said through hefty panting. “Do whatever you want.”

Another groan and the next thing he knew, his nude skin was uncovered under the cold midnight air. It felt just a tad cold, but he was swiftly warmed up by Mink’s heated touch, his coarse palm pressing against his cheek as he was gestured to lie on his back.

With Mink hovered over him, he could see nothing but the beast’s silhouette, the shadows of his ears distinct and lanky above his head while his tail swayed in racking excitement. Mink propped downwards and sniffed him against his neck, then licked him along his cheek, and finally kissing him avidly against his neck again. His body jerked at the first hint of sharp fangs grazing along his elusive fair skin, his fingers sank acutely into the mattress while he kept his eyes shut tight.

“Are you afraid?”

His eyes snapped open at the sound of Mink’s voice. When they fixed gaze, Aoba found every ounce of terror within him vanishing, as if Mink had absorbed them all just by his stare alone. He wasn’t afraid of Mink, not anymore. The shady shadows from beneath Mink’s eyes were long gone, supplanted by a tint of gentle golden that looked nothing frightening. His body relaxed out of its own instinct. Stretching his arms, he cupped Mink’s face, pushing himself up with his elbows supporting his weight then brushed the tips of their noses together.

“I’m not. You’re Mink, and I can still see that in you.”

“I might hurt you.”

Just guileless words, yet they conveyed more words than Aoba ever heard him say.

“You won’t,” Aoba reasserted. “Because you no longer see me as just another human, do you?”

Pulling just a slight distance apart, Aoba stared deeply into Mink’s eyes, finding comfort from the tenderness hidden within them.

“I’m Aoba. And you know it better than anyone else.”

Even when Mink had never once called his name.

He swore he saw Mink smile before Mink kissed him deeply again. With their tongues pressing against each other, they exchanged saliva, moans seeped from his mouth when Mink stroked his body again, leaving trails of flames wherever he touched. As he came close to Aoba’s crotch, Aoba’s body stiffened, the realization of what was going to happen finally hitting him hard.

“I-It’s okay,” he writhed, trying to relax his body at the same time, even though the heartbeats beneath his chest were attempting to rob his words off him. “It’s just that… I’ve never done it before, it has nothing to do with you being a beast.”

Mink said nothing; his typical response. In its place, his hand left Aoba’s thigh, gliding upwards and finding Aoba’s dick. With just a pause in motion, he started pumping indolently on it.

“Ah… ah!” Stars flickered from underneath closed eyes as he let his pants slip. He was already erected when Mink touched him but the force he felt on Mink’s palm proved to be a wickeder trigger for his arousal. His body felt like it’s about to catch fire soon, his lungs scorched, air ensnared against them while his vision appeared to him like a thick mist. His skin was aching for some sort of release that he didn’t know it himself. A tongue slipped into his opened mouth when he was lost in Mink’s touch and soon, tension left his crotch, the path of flare tickling him frivolously against his thigh. He only had a few seconds to catch his breath when wet fingers, drenched in his own body liquid, were thrusted into his tight passage, causing him to bite submissively on his lower lip.

“Mink… Mi—“

“Relax,” Mink breathed profoundly, ardently.

He’s so tight it hurt. Seeing his response, Mink used a free hand to fiddle his nipple, immediately causing him to arch his back. His fluffy tail had sneaked onto the bed to rest against Aoba’s stomach, a brittle attempt to comfort him through soothing strokes.

While being ruthlessly distracted, Aoba soon loosened himself to Mink’s fingers. He was fatigued; all his energies seemed to have propelled out of his body. Sweat dowsed him from head to toe but he couldn’t help but hitch a breath when Mink stripped himself off his ragged clothing, revealing his naked skin.

It’s nothing like a beast’s body. As he gawked penetratingly at Mink’s body, Aoba tried his best to take in every detail he could lay his eyes on – from the sturdy fine muscles to his tanned skin, from the old and new wounds to the strands of hair falling tastefully against his shoulders. Mink’s tail had left Aoba’s body since then, and instead of fingers, this time, Aoba felt something way bigger, way hotter pressing against his hole.

“Ah…” A small sound escaped his lips.

“Relax,” Mink repeated, although the exasperation in his voice was way too obvious than before.

He clenched his teeth when Mink shoved himself in. He’s _big_ , way larger than Aoba would ever expect him to be. He’d missed the chance to take a nippy glimpse of his dick before it’s splitting his body open but he could tell from how painful his body was feeling now that this was, undeniably, something that only a beast would possess.

“Breathe,” Mink whispered into his ear, the hot breath hitting his ear shell sending goosebumps all over his body.

He tried doing as he was told. The moment he took a deep breath, Mink pushed deeper, and the same process continued for several times until when Mink was completely seated in him, his dick pulsed vigorously, sticking hard against Aoba’s inner walls.

“It might hurt.” This was perhaps the first time Mink was speaking more than he did. That realization did things to Aoba. A small bubble of relief hit him in the guts as he pulled a smile, with tears curtailed out of physiological reaction gathered on the corners of his eyes.

“Does it hurt?” Mink asked in the next second, noticing the tears.

Aoba shook his head. “It’s not that. It’s just that… I’m finally seeing the real you so I’m… I’m happy.”

For whatever reason, his words seemed to have tugged a trigger he never knew existed as Mink started thrusting deeper into, hauling his dick all the way out just to lunge back into him again. For a long time, they kept their bodies connected, moans shuddered throughout the unobtrusive space, breaking the silence in the shady woods. Sounds of flesh thrashing against flesh echoed of mollifying music like the sizzling woods. His body was sore from the vigorous activity, he’d lost his voice halfway through the session, but he continued clinging onto Mink, fingers not forgetting to stroke the soft fur of his ears, all the while with Mink’s tail tousling around his waist.

He couldn’t imagine himself to be connecting bodies with a beast, a being that was deemed to be ferocious, cruel and inhuman. Yet, he could imagine himself embracing a man, one that was nothing but gentle, composed and very much human. It’s not just any other human to whom he’d want to be connected in such way. But if it’s Mink, then it’s fine.

If it’s Mink, he wouldn’t mind being connected in such an intense way; he’d embrace every ounce of passion this very person was giving him – this very person whom he would never put a beast label on.

And when he heard his name stumbling from Mink’s mouth the same time he felt a hot surge of liquid filling him up from the inside, he knew that he’d made the right decision venturing into the forest after all.

Despite what anyone said about the beast residing in the woods.

 

***

 

None of them could believe what had happened the previous night when they woke the next morning. All Aoba knew was that he’d woken up to find himself nestling in Mink’s embrace, the warm fluffy tail of Mink’s tickling him in his sleep. He set eyes on the scratches and bite marks on his fair skin, immediately finding heat rushing to his cheeks. All the memories from the previous night came rushing into him, almost causing him to pass out again, out of embarrassment. Not knowing what else he could do, he strained a hand to fondle on Mink’s soft fur, beaming a tad as he found comfort in the delicacy of the restful sensation on his hand.

Then, after what seemed to be an hour, Mink finally moved before he opened his eyes. He rolled around, coming face to face with a dazzled Aoba, then blinked twice.

“G-Good morning,” Aoba whispered, for a lack of better things to say.

They exchanged gaze, as if time had come to an abrupt stop. And then, Mink sat up, one hand pressing his face as he shook his head.

“You’re still alive,” he grumbled through raspy voice.

“Seems like it…” Aoba dawdled.

“How?”

“What do you mean?”

It didn't seem like Mink recalled anything of what had happened last night. Acknowledging that, Aoba crept towards him, then brushed a finger against the edge of his ear, where a few disheveled strands of fur stood.

“You didn’t hurt me at all,” he consoled with a smile. “Just like you see. Ah, well, except for the scratches and the bite marks, but I guess those are… normal.”

He chuckled at his own joke. Mink, however, remained deadpanned. Catching sight of the marks on Aoba’s body, a thin layer of flush daubed his cheeks.

“Sorry.”

“…what?”

Did he just…?

“I could’ve killed you,” Mink continued.

“But you didn’t. That’s what matters.”

Mink seemed to be perplexed with the entire situation. Aoba wouldn’t say that he’d trust his own memories completely either but it’s reality that he’s still alive, and that should be more of their concern than anything else.

“You didn’t hurt me. I’m still alive. That’s the truth,” he fought to get his voice out, just so it could reach Mink. “And that’s because you no longer see me as a prey, right? You see me as human… as someone.”

Mink’s eyes brightened.

“And I’m the same,” Aoba speedily continued, already noticing how awkward he sounded. “I don’t see you as a beast. I mean, yeah, you _are_ a beast, that fact remains unchanged. And like I said from the first day I met you, I still intend to study more about you. But, above that, I also think of you as Mink, not just a beast, or rather… not as a beast. I’m not sure if this makes sense to you but… isn’t that enough?”

A stretch of silence spread between them as they fixed gaze with each other. Mink was the one who’d broken the tranquility as he raised a hand and traced a gentle path along Aoba’s cheek. Then, without warning, he pulled Aoba over into a firm embrace.           

Aoba could hear Mink’s heartbeats with his head pressed against his chest. _Thump_ , _thump_. It’s the sound of one being alive, the proof of a living being, nothing to do with Mink being a beast or not.

That’s more than enough for him.

“I’ll find the cure,” he muttered into Mink’s chest as he encircled his arms around Mink’s waist. “I want to break this curst they’d placed upon you. If you’re human, then you could live the normal life you deserve. You don’t have to run from anyone anymore, you could just be… normal.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Mink said. His fingers brushed through the long strands of Aoba’s hair, gestures gentle and careful. “It doesn’t matter to me.”

“Even when the world is out to hunt you down? Even when… they’re planning to do something that would harm you?”

“I know what the humans are up to,” Mink interrupted. “The project.”

Aoba’s heart skipped a beat.

“And I don’t think of you as one of them,” Mink explained. “Perhaps that’s why you’re still alive. Like you said, I think of you not as a human, but as Aoba. That’s all.”

“And that’s why…” He paused to hug Aoba closer. With his head slanting against Aoba’s shoulder, he released a gratified sigh, ears dropping and tail draping around Aoba’s body. “It’s fine. I’m fine being a beast, if that means you’ll be here with me.”

He’d risked his life venturing into this very forest, just so he could reveal the truth behind the beast living in this land. He found the beast, sure. But that’s not all. He also found a reason to his life. And instead of sacrificing his life, he’d regained a purpose for not only his own life, but for the beast’s as well.

That’s why – this is fine. Regardless of who they were, as long as they held faith towards each other…

This is fine.

 

 


End file.
